Trae Young's Offensive Magic Sparks Wizards' Young Core

Rookie Will Riley praises Young's playmaking abilities and how they've opened up new opportunities for the team.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 10:22pm

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Despite the Washington Wizards' struggles this season, the recent acquisition of four-time All-Star Trae Young has energized the team's young core. Rookie wing Will Riley lauded Young's elite passing skills and how his presence has transformed the Wizards' offense, creating more open looks for his teammates. Young's ability to draw defensive attention and make the right reads has allowed players like Riley and second-year guard Bilal Coulibaly to thrive, showcasing their own development. Although the Wizards are focused on maximizing their draft lottery odds, Young's short-term impact has provided a glimpse of the team's promising future.

Why it matters

Trae Young's arrival in Washington has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Wizards. By showcasing his elite playmaking abilities, Young is helping accelerate the growth and development of the team's young talent, which could pay dividends in the seasons to come as the Wizards look to build a contender around their promising core.

The details

In his first five games with the Wizards, Trae Young is averaging 6.2 assists in just 20.8 minutes per game, equating to one assist every 3.35 minutes. This production is on par with Young's league-leading assist numbers during the 2024-25 season, when he averaged 11.6 assists per game for the Atlanta Hawks. Rookie wing Will Riley praised Young's ability to make pinpoint passes and draw defensive attention, which has opened up new opportunities for the Wizards' young players. An example of this was a sequence where Young found Bilal Coulibaly on a short roll, leading to an open three-pointer for Riley.

  • Trae Young made his Wizards debut on March 5, 2026.
  • The Wizards hosted the Detroit Pistons on March 18, 2026, the day after this article was published.

The players

Trae Young

A four-time NBA All-Star who was recently acquired by the Washington Wizards. Young is known for his elite playmaking abilities and is helping to transform the Wizards' offense.

Will Riley

A 20-year-old rookie wing player for the Washington Wizards who has benefited from Trae Young's arrival, as Young's passing has created more open opportunities for Riley and his teammates.

Bilal Coulibaly

A second-year guard for the Washington Wizards who has also seen his game elevated by Trae Young's playmaking, as evidenced by a sequence where Young found Coulibaly on a short roll, leading to an open three-pointer for teammate Will Riley.

Brian Keefe

The head coach of the Washington Wizards, who praised Trae Young's passing ability and how it has helped the team's young core players.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, he's an amazing player. It's crazy to see it in person, I used to watch him all the time. Seeing the reads he makes, the amount of attention he brings. With the attention he brings, he's able to find us on time and on target, so it just opens up so many more opportunities for everybody. He's also an amazing person, great teammate.”

— Will Riley, Wizards Rookie (ClutchPoints)

“I thought there was some good moments there. We had some good connections where the ball was moving, Trae was getting two on him, there was a play in the first when he hit Bilal on the short roll and he fired it out to Will Riley. It's one of the reasons Trae's here, when he gets two on him he just makes the right play. I thought we played off him pretty well...You could see the passing skill with all three of them tonight.”

— Brian Keefe, Wizards Head Coach (ClutchPoints)

What’s next

The Wizards will host the Detroit Pistons on March 18, 2026, and the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 20, 2026, as they continue to evaluate their young core and maximize their draft lottery odds.

The takeaway

Trae Young's arrival in Washington has provided a much-needed boost to the Wizards' young core, showcasing the transformative impact a true superstar playmaker can have on a team's offense. While the Wizards are focused on the draft lottery, Young's short-term influence has given fans a glimpse of the team's promising future, as players like Will Riley and Bilal Coulibaly have thrived alongside the four-time All-Star.